Fully differential, high Q, on-chip, impedance matching section

Abstract

An inductor circuit is disclosed. The inductor circuit includes a first in-silicon inductor and a second in-silicon inductor each having multiple turns. A portion of the multiple turns of the second in-silicon inductor is formed between turns of the first in-silicon inductor. The first and second in-silicon inductors are configured such that a differential current flowing through the first in-silicon inductor and the second in-silicon inductor flows in a same direction in corresponding turns of inductors.

1. A radio frequency integrated circuit having a substrate, comprising:
 a first inductor integrated in the substrate, the first inductor having a plurality of segments, 
 a second inductor integrated in the substrate, the second inductor having a plurality of segments, 
 wherein segments in the plurality of first inductor segments are alternately disposed with segments in the plurality of second inductor segments such that a first inductor segment is adjacent to a second inductor segment, 
 wherein currents in each of the first inductor segments and second inductor segments flow in the same direction, and 
 wherein an input of the first inductor receives a first component of a differential input signal, an input of the second inductor receives a second component of the differential input signal, an output of the first inductor produces a first component of a differential output signal, and an output of the second inductor produces a second component of the differential output signal. 
 
     
     
       2. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein a segment in the plurality of first inductor segments and a segment in the plurality of second inductor segments are disposed on different metal layers of the substrate. 
     
     
       3. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein a center axis of the first inductor is substantially aligned with a center axis of the second inductor. 
     
     
       4. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 3 , wherein the center axis of the first inductor and the center axis of the second inductor are perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       5. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 4 , wherein the center axis of the first inductor and the center axis of the second inductor are parallel to the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       6. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency integrated circuit is a radio frequency transceiver. 
     
     
       7. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 6 , wherein the radio frequency transceiver is a wireless radio frequency transceiver. 
     
     
       8. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 6 , wherein the radio frequency transceiver is a wired radio frequency transceiver. 
     
     
       9. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency integrated circuit is a radio frequency receiver. 
     
     
       10. A radio frequency integrated circuit, comprising:
 a first inductor partially formed in a first layer of the radio frequency integrated circuit; 
 a second inductor partially formed in the first layer of the radio frequency integrated circuit, wherein the first inductor is interleaved with the second inductor such that a first current in the first inductor flows in the same direction as a second current in the second inductor, and 
 wherein an input of the first inductor receives a first component of a differential input signal and an input of the second inductor receives a second component of the differential input signal and an output of the first inductor produces a first component of a differential output signal and an output of the second inductor produces a second component of the differential output signal. 
 
     
     
       11. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 10 , wherein a portion of the first inductor is formed in a second layer of the radio frequency integrated circuit and a portion of the second inductor is formed in a third layer of the radio frequency integrated circuit, wherein the second layer is located beneath the first layer and the third layer is located beneath the second layer of the radio frequency integrated circuit. 
     
     
       12. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 10 , wherein a center axis of the first inductor is substantially aligned with a center axis of the second inductor. 
     
     
       13. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 12 , wherein the center axis of the first inductor and the center axis of the second inductor are perpendicular to the surface of the radio frequency integrated circuit. 
     
     
       14. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 13 , wherein the center axis of the first inductor and the center axis of the second inductor are parallel to the surface of the radio frequency integrated circuit. 
     
     
       15. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 10 , wherein the radio frequency integrated circuit is a radio frequency transceiver. 
     
     
       16. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 15 , wherein the radio frequency transceiver is a wireless radio frequency transceiver. 
     
     
       17. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 15 , wherein the radio frequency transceiver is a wired radio frequency transceiver. 
     
     
       18. The radio frequency integrated circuit of  claim 10 , wherein the radio frequency integrated circuit is a radio frequency receiver. 
     
     
       19. A device, comprising:
 a plurality of inductors integrated in a radio frequency integrated circuit, each inductor having a plurality of segments, 
 wherein segments in each plurality of inductor segments from among the plurality of inductors are alternately disposed with segments in the plurality of inductor segments of each of the other inductors from among the plurality of inductors, such that each segment of one inductor from among the plurality of inductors is adjacent to a segment of another inductor from among the plurality of inductors, 
 wherein currents in each of the segments of each inductor from among the plurality of inductors flow in the same direction, and 
 wherein an input of one inductor from among the plurality of inductors receives a first component of a differential input signal, an input of another inductor from among the plurality of inductors receives a second component of the differential input signal, an output of the one inductor produces a first component of a differential output signal, and an output of the other inductor produces a second component of the different output signal. 
 
     
     
       20. The device of  claim 19 , wherein any one from among the plurality of inductors may be switched off or on to tune an inductance of the radio frequency integrated circuit. 
     
     
       21. The device of  claim 19 , wherein a segment in each plurality of inductor segments from among the plurality of inductors and a segment in the plurality of inductor segments of each of the other inductors from among the plurality of inductors are disposed on different metal layers. 
     
     
       22. The device of  claim 19 , wherein a center axis of each inductor from among the plurality of inductors is substantially aligned with a center axis of each of the other inductors from among the plurality of inductors. 
     
     
       23. The device of  claim 19 , wherein the device is a radio frequency transceiver. 
     
     
       24. The device of  claim 23 , wherein the radio frequency transceiver is a wireless radio frequency transceiver. 
     
     
       25. The device of  claim 23 , wherein the radio frequency transceiver is a wired radio frequency transceiver. 
     
     
       26. The device of  claim 19 , wherein the device is a radio frequency receiver.